We use secure e-commerce servers using SSL (Secure Sockets Layer) to communicate with your browser.  As long as your browser shows that you have a secure connection (see below) then it is highly unlikely that anyone will get access to your credit card details.  Intercepting useful credit card information over the Net is not easy to do. It is far easier for people to steal credit card numbers by other means, for example, shop assistants or waiters, who can copy the details and use them dishonestly.

You might also remember, that most banks either cover all the charges that result from unauthorized use of your credit card or may limit your liability to just $50.
 

How the process works
 
When you go to an online store and submit an order form with a credit card number, the information is transmitted from your computer via local telephone lines to your Internet Service Provider (ISP) and then over the Internet. The order may go to an intermediary or directly to the merchant's server. Companies vary as to when they process your credit card details. Some do immediately, while others wait until the product has been shipped.

If you plan to shop on the Internet with a credit card, a secure ordering system is a must.

Both Netscape Navigator and Microsoft Internet Explorer use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) to encrypt your data before sending it over the Net. SSL scrambles your personal data - look for an unbroken key or lock to appear in the bottom of your browser window. This technology provides a secure connection that keeps data private during transmission over the Internet. However, this technology does not authenticate the parties at either end of the transaction.

Visa International and MasterCard International, with support from many of the world's top financial institutions, are presently working to develop a more advanced encryption process called Secure Electronic Transaction (SET). SET involves a system of digital certificates provided by card issuers, and encryption. SET enables the identity of both merchant and cardholder to be authenticated and also ensures that neither the merchant or cardholder's bank sees the purchaser's credit card number.
 

How do you tell if the Internet connections are secure?

Many web sites use Secure Sockets Layer (SSL) technology to encrypt the credit card information that you send over the Internet. These sites usually inform you they are using this technology. Or, check if the web address on the page that asks for your credit card information begins with "https:" instead of "http:"; if so, this technology is in place.

Other ways to tell whether a web site uses security software:

• Your browser displays the icon of a locked padlock at the bottom of the screen (Netscape Navigator™; - versions 4.0 and higher);
• You see the icon of an unbroken key at the bottom of the screen (earlier versions of Netscape Navigator™);
• You see the icon of a lock on the status bar (Microsoft Internet Explorer^®).